Patrick put up an amazing and generous post when we crossed that threshold on Christmas morning, but I have a few things I’d like to add.

You Can Still Win (And There Are a Lot of Incredible Prizes)

So as to not bury the lede too deeply, I want to be clear: the fundraising continues, and will continue through midnight (Pacific Time), New Year’s Eve. Which means that you can still donate and be eligible for the prizes in this contest. And that every dollar you donate will be anonymously matched. (Prizes will start to be drawn on January 3, once the neutral prize-drawer returns from vacation.)

And there are a lot of great prizes. Astonishingly, I don’t believe I have ever listed them in one place, so I’m going to correct that now.

It’ll take some space to do this, because…well, there are eleven big prizes, and they each deserve some describing.

Cannondale CAAD12 54cm CX Frame: Cannondale has donated a 54cm CAAD12 cyclocross frame, all ready for you to build up as your own CX weapon of choice.

Opus Classico 1: Like the name says, The Classico 1 marries classic bike styling to modern materials and componentry. The result? Updated versions of everyone’s favorite city bikes. Fun to ride, handsome to look at and available in a range of cool colors. A perfect companion for making the city your own!

Küat NV 2.0 bike rack: I’ve mentioned this rack before, and it bears mentioning again, just because it does its job so perfectly. If you have a vehicle with a hitch receiver, I genuinely believe there’s no better way you can transport your bikes. And if you don’t have a vehicle with a hitch receiver, this is a good reason to get one.

Trek Madone 9-Series Dream Bike: Different folks have different levels of enthusiasm for different bikes, but if I had first pick (and sadly, my own rules prevent me from having any pick at all), this is the prize I would pick: The Trek Madone 9-Series frame, complete with Zipp 454 NSW wheels, an eTap drivetrain, and your pick of SRAM and Zipp parts to complete the bike. Wow.

The Specialized S-Works Tarmac: Build up Build this frame up with any drivetrain (including RED eTap, which you would be insane to not get) and any ZIPP wheels (except the 454 NSW wheelset; we have access to only one set of those) you want.

Giant TCR Advanced Pro Disc: This frame is built up with an eTap drivetrain and whatever combo of SRAM / ZIPP components and wheels you want (excepting the 454 NSW wheels) is just too incredible. With flat-mount disc brake integration and 12mm thru-axles front and rear, this is a versatile race machine for all types of road conditions.

Silca HX-One Tool Set: Are these wrenches perfect? Yes. Beautiful and functional and everything you could ever hope for from hex keys? Yes. They’re just remarkable.

Silca SuperPista Ultimate Floor Pump: I asked my wife for one thing for Christmas this year: a Silca SuperPista Ultimate floor pump. And she gave me one, too. Here’s the thing, though: it’s much nicer in real life than I had realized. And the one we’re giving away is customized with the WBR logo, making it even more gorgeous. This is the only floor pump you’re ever going to need.

A Trip to Chicago to Visit SRAM HQ: Yep, Stan Day will take you on a personal tour of the World SRAM HQ, after which you and he and I will race each other around the indoor test track. And that’s bound to be one weird, wonderful photo opp.

A cycling trip to Portugal with InGamba: Yes, that’s right. You will be riding in Southern Portugal on an experience Bicycling Magazine has called “The best Ride on Earth.” And I’m already jealous of you.

Why This Matters

All these prizes are great. But let’s be honest: most of you won’t win anything. Of course you understand that, but you donate anyway. Because by doing so, you are making a substantial, meaningful, and immediate difference in someone’s life. Not only is that a big deal in a fundraiser, it’s a big deal in life.

Thank You

No matter how many people donate (and if you haven’t, you should), together a bunch of cyclists have gotten together and raised a million dollars to get kids in Africa on bikes. That’s thousands and thousands (more than 6800) of bikes and lives changed drastically for the better.